Normally when you see a play, there are stern reminders to “Turn your phone off!”

Ignore at your peril. That annoying @$$hole who thinks he’s more important than everyone else not only leaves his phone ringer on… but even answers a call while others shoot visual daggers at the perpetrator.

And photos? Often also a strict ‘no no’ with ushers rushing to admonish stealth photographers from the audience.

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The concept of an ‘adda’ in India is broadly a gathering of people in prolonged conversation. What primarily comes to mind when I hear this word is a group of guys in Kolkata in animated earnest debate, perhaps over a cup of chai collected by the side of a road.

In Mumbai, you can indeed find pockets of the ‘adda’ culture and my partner can often be found hanging out at his ‘office’ aka The Bagel Shop…

So often that it is well known which table is ‘his’ and there is even a photo next to ‘his’ table with a quote from him about the Bagel Shop being his ‘adda’.

Any local hang-out spot near you where you can count on a good conversation?

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I came across a playbill from our July trip to London… and it got me thinking that we just might have another experience or two worthy of a post. (Yes we DID manage to do more than just hang out at BAFTA!)

Well in advance of our trip, a Canadian friend living in Essex kindly offered to arrange an evening of dinner and theatre together for our single Saturday night in London. Sounded just right!

Before the performance, to get into a theatrical frame of mind, we met near the Tate Gallery and then took a little stroll along the South Bank to glimpse Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. (more…)

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On average we see a play once a week or so. The typical venues in Mumbai are NCPA, Prithvi Theatre, sometime one of the college theatres like Sophia or St Andrews.

However there are alternate venues too. We’ve seen theatre performed in someone’s living room or in the middle of a field at The Company Theatre in Kamshet.

Eric Kaiser’s play Charge, directed by Yuki Ellias

Last weekend, we were introduced to another venue – Sitara Studio in Dadar West – compliments of Eric Kaiser’s play “Charge“. The venue has this industrial warehouse feel perfect for a post apocalyptic play about a bed-ridden couple Martha and George who are obsessed with betting or chasing the illusion of reality with their whims and bodily needs catered to by their androids Gigi and Pierre. (more…)

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We’ve seen some terrific theatre over the last few months… but it can’t always be a complete hit or ‘wow’ reaction!

No surprise, a recent new production that SHOULD be good was actually a dud.

The audience was so collectively stunned that when the lights dimmed at the end of the performance, there was a resounding silence. Followed by an uncomfortably polite smattering of lacklustre applause.

No… I will not give further details or trash the folks involved – they were clearly sincere in their efforts. It just did NOT work. (more…)

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While I was off gallivanting around Europe, my partner was busy with myriad of activities… including organising the theatre section of Celebrate Bandra.

While there is a whole host of fabulous music, dance, theatre and more to see and do, I’m naturally completely biased and planned my flight in time to return to see his performance in “Bombay JAZZ”. (more…)

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Prithvi is a theatrical oasis in the midst of the mad hustle and bustle, chaos and cacophony that makes up every day life in Mumbai.

For those not familiar, for over 35 years it has been home to the performing arts of Bombay. The theatre is intimate with the audience surrounding three sides of the stage and a seating capacity of only 300.

Inside the complex is a delightful outdoor cafe where cutting chai is sipped alongside cappuccinos, where folks hang out before or after a performance chatting, reading, relaxing and soaking in the ambiance. Wander further and browse around the small bookstore bursting with books on theatre and related topics. (more…)

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One of the hazards benefits of living with a stage actor is I get to see a LOT of theatre… sometimes in our living room!

In the last month since I returned from Indonesia, we’ve enjoyed two theatre festivals, I nearly missed one play from Canada but managed to join a ‘pop up venue’ version and my partner is curating a third theatre festival – part of a larger set of festivities that make up ‘Celebrate Bandra’.

And as my partner’s rehearses for his play ‘JAZZ‘, I couldn’t help but think, how lucky is it to enjoy LIVE theatre? (more…)